More typhoon dodging

We flew to Okinawa and back today, and for a little while there it was sketchy whether or not we'd get to leave once we got down there, as they're expecting a Category 5 typhoon to hit there by tomorrow. During our ground time, we went to the BX to pick up miscellaneous and sundry items (my list: Clinique Moisture On-Line and eyedrops) and the place was absolutely insane. Everyone had a sheen of sweat on their face and a gleam of madness in their eyes as they scrambled to get last-minute typhoon survival items. The Clinique counter wasn't exactly swamped, surprisingly enough.

We were the last flight out and it got hairy for a while as it dawned on us that we might get trapped there, and none of us had brought our luggage, as we hadn't checked out of our hotel on the mainland. We even had a Lord of the Flies moment when some of the flight crew got back to the plane late and almost caused a flight delay.

Hopefully Okinawa won't see the kind of destruction that New Orleans has lately endured... I've been through many a typhoon and hurricane, but as a local in prone areas, you become sort of a skeptic after you see so many threats that don't pan out. I guess that explains why so many New Orleans people didn't evacuate in time. My dad, who lives on the Florida panhandle never evacuates. He's got sort of a captain-goes-down-with-the-ship mentality, which, not being a homeowner myself, I can't personally fathom.

A girl I know was scoffing at why would anyone have thought coastal Louisiana was a good place to build a city, considering hurricane season, and snarkily remarked that that was "just lke the French." Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but it's been around for 300 years, non? And the last time it was hit was about forty years ago. It's not like it was built on quicksand, for Christ's sake! Maybe it's just me, I love France, loved living there, and get easily irritated when people decide to be scathingly original and bash the French. People, come on! It's been done!